Approximately 1,200 members of the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2030 completed Induction Day Thursday evening by taking the Oath of Office in Tecumseh Court, formally beginning their first summer as midshipmen.
The ceremony brought the incoming class together in formation outside Bancroft Hall after a full day of processing inside Alumni Hall. By evening, the civilian clothes and hairstyles seen that morning had been replaced by white uniforms, issued equipment, and the first signs of military discipline.
Class of 2030 Takes the Oath
Standing together in Tecumseh Court, the new plebes raised their right hands and repeated the oath, pledging to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of I-Day and the beginning of Plebe Summer, an intensive training period designed to introduce the class to military customs, physical conditioning, teamwork, seamanship and the standards expected of future Navy and Marine Corps officers.
This year’s ceremony returned to Tecumseh Court after the Class of 2029 took its oath on Worden Field in 2025 because of construction near Bancroft Hall.
Final Minutes With Family
Following the oath, plebes were given approximately 30 minutes to reunite with their families along Stribling Walk.
The brief visit included hugs, photographs, last-minute advice and emotional goodbyes before the new midshipmen returned to their companies. For many families, it was their final time together until Plebe Parents’ Weekend in August.
At 7:15 p.m., the Class of 2030 assembled for evening formation and marched toward Bancroft Hall, bringing Induction Day to a close.
The new plebes now begin several weeks of early mornings, physical training, inspections, military instruction and lessons in Naval Academy traditions. The process is intended to transform a group of individuals from across the country and abroad into a unified class prepared for the Academy’s academic and military demands.
The Class of 2030 will join the full Brigade of Midshipmen when the academic year begins later this summer. Their Naval Academy careers will culminate in four years with graduation and commissioning as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps.